Starting Over
by Bun-chan
Summary: The normal lives of Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna as they raise Hotaru.
1. 1: Evening Tea

April is Outside Soldier month at SMMFC on LJ. I haven't written anything for it before today, but I really like the prompts that have been given and the idea of writing about the four leading normal lives together. I'll be compiling all the story written prompts for this month in this thread. Consider each "chapter" to be a one shot, but each one shot is relevant to one another. I'll be chaptering the one shots in chronological order as well.

Title: Evening Tea  
Theme: Joker  
Genre: General/Comedy  
Version: Manga  
Rating: G  
Summary: The normal lives of Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna as they raise Hotaru.

Setsuna nestled Hotaru in her lap, tucking the lavender fleece under the sleeping babe, and pushed herself into the comfort of the leather couch. Haruka sat on the floor, her sandy head bent low over a new toy she had purchased for Hotaru earlier that day. Michiru deposited a cup of tea on the floor before perching near Haruka's shoulder, softly humming in amusement while drawing her aqua tresses behind her head.

"Honestly Michiru, you can keep it down. This won't take long."

"I suspect it won't," Michiru replied dropping next to the tea cup she had laid moments earlier on the floor, "but I don't want anything obstructing my view."

"You didn't need to make so much tea, either," Haruka grumbled brushing her bangs away from her forehead, "It really won't take that long."

"What makes you think I made more than a cup?" Michiru bemused drawing the china saucer from the carpet, "By the way, Setsuna, it's rose hip tonight."

Setsuna grinned as Haruka scowled at their smiling partner. Hotaru cooed, drifting into another dream. Haruka turned back to assembling the toy pieces, ignoring the two women engrossed in her en devours. "Setsuna, shouldn't we be concerned about all the small pieces?"

"I suppose so," Setsuna replied, gazing down at Hotaru's serene face, "Perhaps we should take it away from Haruka before she chokes."

Haruka turned and gave Setsuna stony look, two mismatched pieces grasped in her hands. Michiru flicked a pink block at the side of Haruka's head, "I believe you want this one."

"Thanks," Haruka gruffed grabbing the fallen piece from the floor. The women giggled as Haruka slammed the two pieces together.

"I'm glad," Michiru uttered after several moments of Haruka silently composing the toy.

"As you should be, I'm nearly done."

"That you have the time to do this."

"As long as it involves me in some fashion, your appreciation is appropriate."

"So we should be glad if you choke?" Setsuna raised an eye brow.

"I believe that constitutes as involvement." Haruka pouted.

Setsuna laughed at her partner's misfortune before turning her attention back to the baby in her arms. "I'm happy for all of us. Do you think we will ever stop saying so?"

"Maybe if Haruka constructs any more atrocities for our beloved Hotaru," Michiru winced as Haruka proudly held aloft a jumbled sculpture.

"It's a lamp," Haruka scoffed assessing her fine handy work.

"Of what?" Setsuna leaned forward and squinted, "A devil?"

"Oh yes, Haruka dear, let's give the reborn Soldier of Ruin a lamp of the mighty Lucifer. A very fine joke."

"But it's pink! It's a bunny!"

"At least she made it a girl devil," Setsuna observed.

Michiru sighed, "I suppose it's the thought that counts."

"Usagi would appreciate it."

"Oh look, now she's off to terrorize our princess," Michiru chuckled walking into the kitchen.

Setsuna maneuvered onto the carpet with Hotaru in hand, nudging the sulking blonde with her shoulder. Setsuna placed the baby up near Haruka as Michiru settled onto the other side with three sets of cups. Hotaru slowly opened her violet eyes as the three women took a sip of their tea.


	2. 2: Magazines

Title: Magazines

Theme: Plastic Surgery

Rating: G

Genre: Romance/Comedy

Summary: Michiru and Haruka examine her magazine together.

Michiru tucked her legs beneath her on the couch as she flipped through the pages of her magazine. Haruka sat down beside her, a bottle feeding Hotaru in hand, and leaned her neck against the chilled cream leather. She rolled her head towards Michiru, catching glimpses of frilled clothing and brightly headlined articles.

"Haruka, what do you think of this one?" Michiru asked turning the magazine towards the blonde.

"That's a cute dress, do you want it?"

"Not particularly. But I'm thinking about the nose."

"...the nose? I don't think you can buy her nose..."

"Of course not," Michiru humphed examining the image, "But one like it."

"Huh?"

"It's small and delicate. I think it looks refined, don't you?"

"I think this one looks refined," Haruka answered and touched the tip of Michiru's nose, bottle still in hand.

"Haruka..."

"Michiru."

"Haruka...I believe Hotaru-chan is hungry," Michiru nodded her head towards the distraught baby.

"Oh? Oh!" Haruka pressed the bottle back to Hotaru's lips, frantically cooing apologies to the small bundle. Michiru flipped the page.


	3. 3: Setsuna

Title: Setsuna

Genre: General

Theme: Sometimes people carry to such perfection the mask they have assumed that in due course they actually become the person they seem. -- W. Somerset Maugham

Summary: Setsuna recalls the time before she had been Setsuna.

Setsuna tickled the soft flesh of baby belly as Michiru made faces from above the bed. Haruka joined them from the bathroom, locks of damp hair smooshed against her forehead from Michiru's reluctance in being tickled. Setsuna added to the peels of laughter as she watched her partners fight on the bedroom floor. Eventually Setsuna turned her attention back to Hotaru after shrugging her shoulders at Michiru's silent pleas. The baby charmed the former solitary soldier with a toothless smile as Setsuna stroked the infant's cheek.

It had taken Setsuna some time to become accustomed to the casual banter between her companions, let alone that it extend to herself. Michiru mentored her through the means of shopping and afternoon tea on the balcony. Haruka led her through childhood when they took Hotaru to the zoo and aquarium, the blonde's enthusiasm paling the sensibility of Hotaru being far too young for such things. While Haruka and Michiru attributed their new lifestyle for the care of Hotaru, it also became for the care of Setsuna.

Sailor Pluto, the Soldier of Time; she had remained faithful to that name for over a millennium, and to an untold infinite more. Her duty had been her life, spending her time in immortal limbo unable to relinquish the guilt that came with wanting to feel the sun. Her previous excursions had cost her her life and troubled her to wonder what her Queen would have thought.

Serenity. The beautiful queen of the Moon haloed with hair of spun twilight, the disapproval from her Queen Pluto had imagined for her exploits brought her shame. Yet as Pluto she hadn't been able to quell the excitement to see the small princess with hair the color of the sunrise. Without knowing she had learned companionship and love beyond the strength of her duty. The day she realized this was the day she gave her life for it. It was the day she ceased being Pluto and became Setsuna, and left her guilt with the corpse of the Solitary Soldier in order to join her small princess into this life.

"We are very much alike, you and I," Setsuna whispered to Hotaru as Michiru stood triumphantly on Haruka's back.

"Setsuna!" Haruka whined from the floor.

"Oh hush, it's not like she could defeat the Goddess of the Seas," Michiru huffed taunting Setsuna with crossed arms, "Besides, she didn't help me, why would she help you?"

Setsuna smirked, launching a pillow at Michiru's face.


	4. 4: Here Comes Haruka

Title: Here Comes Haruka  
Rating: G  
Genre: Comedy  
Theme: Cosplay  
Summary: A glimpse into what Michiru and Setsuna would talk about in their free time as normal women.

"If Haruka were to dress up as anyone, she would be Speed Racer."

_"Me?"_

"That's somewhat superficial, Michiru."

"What, you know she races cars and used to wear cute little scarves."

_"Speed Racer?"_

"Are you saying that's all Haruka does, race cars and wear cute little scarves from time to time?"

"Speed Racer also knows karate, Setsuna."

_"Why not Go Mifune?"_

"...and?"

"She looks good in dark blue."

_"Just because I'm blonde doesn't make me an American."_

"...are you sure Haruka is best suited as Speed Racer? There isn't some other fictional character that best suits Haruka physically and mentally?"

"Mmm...no."

_"Besides, Speed Racer has dark brown hair."_

"You know, that would make you Trixi."

"I do own my own helicopter."

_"But he is rather graceful..."_

"Vain, spoiled, and enamored with Speed Racer."

"My talisman is a mirror, I attended Mugen, and--"

"Here she comes, here comes Haruka!"

"Nevermind, she's not Speed Racer."


	5. 5: Ignorance for Ordinary

Title: Ignorance for Ordinary

Rating: G

Theme: Keeping Secrets

Genre: General, Drama

Summary: The three women ignore the truth of Hotaru's future.

Setsuna coarsely chopped the carrots for that evening's curry pretending to ignore the uneven edges and sizes. Haruka would point it out to her later, a woman who has experienced hundreds of years can't figure out how to properly command a kitchen knife. Michiru would comment that if perhaps Haruka spent less time playing cars with Hotaru, their darling daughter, emphasis on daughter, she could have prepared dinner. Haruka would pout, pushing her rice around her plate mumbling about unfun scoldings, and Hotaru would imitate her with her childlike charm.

Emphasis on childlike.

Setsuna sighed, picking up the cutting board and pushing the carrots into the awaiting pot, listing to the steady plop of her labor. Hotaru had been a healthy baby only a few days ago, the three women had tucked the baby away in her plush crib, softly singing the hymn of their forgotten kingdom. Though they gave up their duties to raise Hotaru as an ordinary child, Haruka argued the song to be harmless while Michiru and Setsuna only half heartedly disagreed. Haruka believed herself to be triumphant their first night, and Michiru advised Setsuna to humor the poor blonde, all the while not realizing Haruka had plucked Hotaru from her crib to waltz.

Michiru had scolded Haruka that night, the blonde woman sheepishly placed their daughter back into bed and allowed Michiru to drag her by the wrist out of the nursery. Setsuna smiled and whispered a small notion of gratitude towards the dosing babe before turning off the jumbled pink rabbit lamp.

This morning they awoke to a steady stream of semi-coherent chatter emitting from the bedside radios. Horror registered first on Setsuna's mind as she raced down the hallway after Haruka and Michiru, relief that Hotaru was alone, and finally shock after realizing Hotaru was much too big for the floral pajamas that had fit her loosely the night before.

Haruka stepped across the nursery and held the several month aged Hotaru in her arms. Neither woman dared to look at each other as they departed to the kitchen, continuing on like most mornings since they had moved in.

* * *

Michiru sat on the pale sand, Hotaru placed between her legs happily pushing the grains into piles. Michiru's sea colored eyes vibrated with the roaring of her element against beach. The tides churned against each other creating a froth that crept closer to her exposed toes with the passing of time. She grimaced as she studied the waves, pulling Hotaru closer to her figure.

* * *

Haruka clutched the rim of the steering wheel, the leather slipping between her white knuckles as the yellow convertible eased around the corner. The wind whipped behind the windshield flinging her blonde hair into the sky. Haruka sighed, staring out into the horizon colored to match her cloudy eyes. She swallowed the rising fear in her stomach and shifted gears.

* * *

Setsuna peeked into the time stream, the Garnet Rod heavy in her hands. The future laid before her in a stream of milky white as she searched for what she feared, hesitation shaking in her tan fingers. Hotaru's childhood played out before her, mingled with the future of her own life and the two women who vowed to remain beside her. Setsuna turned away, her eyes darkening a deep crimson as she washed the future away with a wave of her hand.

"I won't tell them, it's better off this way." She tucked the Garnet Rod away and teleported from the Time Space Door.


	6. 6: Motherhood

Title: Motherhood

Theme: Foster Family

Rating: G

Genre: General

Summary: Haruka comes to terms with being a parent.

Haruka winced, shoving her wounded finger into her mouth. The mixture of salt and blood lingered on her tongue. Hotaru played with her cereal like normal, her large violet eyes squinted with her innocent smile. Haruka gave the babe a shifty glance despite knowing better. The toddler should have no recollection of her past in the slightest. After all, her small mind had yet to comprehend that Haruka was a woman, so why should her childish babbling matter?

However, sometimes Hotaru sat unnaturally still, gazing through Haruka as if she saw everything and nothing. It unnerved her to a certain extent, partly that the child may know everything about her, and partly that she could even believe that the child may know everything about her. There were things she didn't want anyone to know, things she wished she could forget, though her guilt prevented her from doing so.

Especially now that she was acting as a parent. It seemed selfish and disrespectful that she wanted to forget it all. Her past met nothing to her, yet she couldn't shake the images of silk ruffled shirts and the smell of perfume when she awoke in the morning. She would walk to the kitchen every time to wash the bitterness from her mouth with a swig of orange juice trying to remember that unlike those mornings of her girlhood, she no longer woke to an empty house.

The former soldier rinsed the kitchen knife of her blood, wiping her hands on the front of her frilly apron. Michiru had bought the three of them matching sets, like most items she bought for them these days, pleasantly forgetting that Haruka purposely never wore ruffles. "Ha-ru-ka," Michiru whispered into her ear as Haruka disdainfully examined the mark of domesticity between her hands while Setsuna pleasantly tied hers on.

Haruka raised a thick eye brow at the elegant woman peering at her from the top of her shoulder. Michiru only smiled, swiftly tying the navy apron around Haruka's figure. "You don't have to pretend any longer."

Haruka eyed the dish soap before tossing the knife into the dish washer and pulling out a clean one. "Don't tell Michiru," Haruka whispered to Hotaru.

"Haruka-papa!" Hotaru giggled in response.


	7. 7: New Addition

Title: New Addition  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Haruka builds a doll house for Hotaru.

The front door locked with a soft click as Michiru bundled her bags into her arms and swiftly walked down the hallway into the kitchen. Haruka was seated at the round dining table, her sandy head bent low over a lilac doll house propped on its side. "Haruka..." Michiru raised a thin eyebrow as she set her goods on the kitchen counter as Haruka fussed over the wooden box, "Did something...happen?"

Haruka tensed at the smirking edged in Michiru's otherwise quiet voice. Yesterday Michiru had come home from her day of errands to find Haruka in the very same position. She did not utter a word as Haruka attempted to assemble the doll house, only a steady off rhythm clicking of her heels against the linolem betrayed her normal composure. Sure enough, when Haruka turned to steal a glance over her shoulder, she witnessed her partner nearly doubled over on the kitchen counter.

"Bunny" was the only word Michiru managed between gasps for air drawing attention to the first gift Haruka had attempted to build Hotaru. Like the ocean, Michiru's laughter quickly quelled and she swiftly strode over to give Haruka a kiss and pull the remnants of wood glue from the blonde's tresses.

Seeing the itch to reply yesterday in Michiru's sea colored eyes, Haruka hesitated, "She added a basement."

"A basement?" Michiru repeated bending over Haruka's shoulder. She lifted her aqua bangs to the side in order to peer at the cardboard addition to the miniature house. "House improvements aren't necessarily a bad thing," Michiru began with a slight tut to her voice, until she caught sight of several small plush animals near Haruka's hand and a velvet throne toppled on its side.

Haruka gave a grim look as Michiru gracefully excused herself to find Setsuna and their growing daughter.


	8. Scars

Title: Scars

Theme: Fresh

Lick, flip, fold, turn.

Setsuna sat on the floor bent over the low coffee table, magazines spread across the surface and pooling onto the floor. Dark finger tips ran along the glossy paper tracing the latest fashions. Hair ribbons, gauzy skirts, polka dots, cardigans with whimsical shaped plastic buttons in off beat colors contrasting against the sweater fabric. Fashion, Setsuna loved fashion. It was ever changing, ever flowing, moving like a tangible stream of time.

"Setsuna-mama," called a soft voice of the highest pitch. Violet eyes surrounded by a mess of black peered from a doorway, unconsciously tugging at the hem of a frilled pink nightshirt.

"_Ruffles, pink, pastel,_" the Guardian of Time checked off in her head, "_Last week_." Hotaru took her silence as approval and approached the make-shift workbench in the middle of the living room.

"_Blue, cotton, stripes next week. Size bigger,_" Setsuna tutted as the little girl flopped herself to the ground, large eyes lining the top of the table.

"Couldn't sleep?" Bobble.

"Bad dream?" Bobble.

Hotaru pitched her head to the side as Setsuna waited, the reincarnation of death absently picking at a scab on her elbow. All Haruka's doing, of course. "Sweetie, if it itches we can put something on it."

"No," Hotaru replied slowly, immediately stopping by placing both hands on the table and leaning towards her curious adopted mother. Setsuna leaned forward in response. "Michiru-mama says it'll fall off, is that true?"

"Yes, so you should not pick at it and let it fall off naturally."

"Is it true that Haruka-papa really got a time out?" Setsuna nodded, noticing a slight bemusement slip into the corners of the child's face. She was certain the former Sailor Soldier would be devastated at Hotaru's expression.

"What happens if I pick at it?"

"It'll form a scar on your skin."

"What's a scar?" Setsuna hesitated, placing both hands in her lap.

"_It's those lines you had on your body, those cuts and scratches from the explosion and the machinery later implanted into your body. Faded lines, taunt and white against your already ghostly skin, that you covered...arms, legs, and all..._" Setsuna itched her leg, focusing on the sensation of her pink painted nail rubbing against her skin through the fabric of her pants.

Anything to keep that imprint of Hotaru far away from her wide eyed and scar-less daughter. Her reborn daughter. Her new daughter.

"It's a mark that won't go away for a very long time, so that's why it's best to let it fall off on its own."

"What happens when it does that?"

"Fresh and new skin will show, like the scab had never been there." Fresh. She wanted her daughter to look fresh. "_Maybe green, floral print, cut into a jumper._"

Hotaru placed her arms behind her, leaning back with her palms pressed firmly into the carpet. She rolled her head from side to side, her petite neck swiveling as the weight shifted. Finally she pushed herself back to the table, nodding her head. "Okay."

"Okay," Setsuna smiled, flipping the page of her magazine.


End file.
